Closure means for chamber wall opening



,T F s G. 1

Dec. 25, 1956 A. v. ALEXEFF ETAL 2,775,216

CLOSURE MEANS FOR CHAMBER WALL OPENING Filed Sept. l2, 1952 n. ze 74 7aJ Dec. 25, 1956 A. v. ALI-:XEFF ETAL 2,775,216

CLOSURE MEANS FOR CHAMB Filed sept. 12, 1952 ER WALL OPENING 2 SheetsATTORNY United States Patent O CLOSURE MEANS FOR CHAMBER WALL OPENINGApplication September 12, 1952, Serial No. 309,304

8 Claims. (Cl. 110--179) The present invention relates in general toclosure means for `openings formed in the walls of furnaces or otherchambered structures operating under relatively high internal gaseouspressures, such openings permitting acces-s to the interior of `thefurnace usually for the purpose of Vdislodging slag or other accumulatedsolids from heat absorbing surfaces. In many instances, such cleaningoperations are performed during normal furnace operation from theexterior of the furnace, and since the tools are ordinarily manuallyoperated, provision is made to adequately control orto actually preventthe discharge of hot products of combustion when the closure means ismoved to expose the opening.

The invention therefore contemplates the provision lof a closure meansadapted for mounting exteriorly of a furnace and formed with a passagethrough which the furnace wall opening is rendered accessible, andthrough which gaseous fluid is directed in jets inwardly toward thefurnace chamber in opposition to gases tending to discharge therefrom. Aydoor which is provided at the outer `end of the passage isautomatically restrained from moving into Athe open position until thejet action has been established. Upon movement into the open position,the door is automatically latched and thereby maintained open to permitthe cleaning operations to be performed. When it is desired to close thepassage, lthe latching mechanism is manually tripped and t-he doorpermitted t-o return by gravity` to its originalclosed position. Thesupply of gaseous uid is then cut off until door opening movement is tobe again effected.

The various features of novelty which characterize our invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which we have illustrated and described a preferred embodimentof our invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. l is side view, in section, of a closure means constructed inaccordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the closure means, in section, along line 22 ofFig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are exterior views ofthe closure means, as seen from thefront and side, respectively, showing the door in closed-position; and

Fig. 5 is exterior side view similar to Fig. 4, showing the door in openposition.`

In more detail, and referring to Figs. l and 2 in particular, a closuremeans is shown in assembled relation to a furnace wall 12 through whicha lance opening 13 is provided for access to the innter furnace chamber14. Suitably, the opening 13 is formed in an inner wall frame 15 whichis incorporated in the furnace wall structure and provides parallelupright walls 16, 16 along opposite sides of the opening, and oppositelyinclined walls 17, 17 along upper and lower boundaries thereof, wherebythe opening13 is ofrectangular cross section throughout Vits 2,775,216Patented Dec. 25, 1956 length, and of progressively increasing heightyand cross sectional area toward the furnace chamber 14.

The closure means comprises a door frame 18 mounted exteriorly of thefurnace wall 12 and fonmed with a rectangular opening 19 extendinghorizontally therethrough in registry with the outer end of the wallframe opening 13, and forming an axial continuation thereof. Theopposing side walls 21 `are parallel and,` in a preferred orientation ofthe assembly, are vertically disposed. The frames 15 and 1S are formedwith flanges 23 and 24 respectively and maintained in assembled gastight relationship by means of bolts 25. The outer end of door frame 18is formed with a planar door seat 26 which in the operative assembly isinclined from the Vertical at an angle of abou-t 71/2 degrees, and thusat an angle of about S21/ degrees to the central axis of opening 13. Adoor 27, of a slidable type, and having a sight glass 28, is provided atthe outer end of the opening. A rim of packing 29 projects outwardlyfrom the door seat 26, as indicated, throughout the perimeter of theopening, for engagement by the planar `seating surface of door 27 in itsclosed position over the opening. l

The door 27 is arranged for opening and closing movement in a planarpath extending transversely of the combined wall and frame opening 13,19. As a means for guiding the door 27 during such movements, guide bars31 are secured to the door adjacent the upper end thereof by means ofbolts 32 screwed into side bosses 34; the bars 31 extending alongopposite margins of the door and being received in slots 35 formed -inopposite side walls of frame 1S for slidable movement of the door in anupright plane substantially at right angles lto the axial from inalignment, one with the other, tto provide pivotal supports for anms 41of a spring handle 42 by which the door is operated. However, the arms41, instead of directly engaging the studs 39, are secured as by welds43 to eccentrics 45 which in turn are rotatably supported on the studs.Each handle arm 41 is formed at its inner end with an inturned angleportion 46 as pant of -a means for increasing the pressure of the dooragainst its seat in ythe closed position.

extend forwardly at right angles to the bars, parallel to frame 18, andwhich are formed with circular openings therein for assembly oneccentrics 45 between the door flanges 38 and the handle arms 41.

In order to move the door from its closed position indicated in Fig. l,an upward force is applied to the handle l 42 causing it to be rotatedabout the studs 39 into a position in which the bottom edges of theinturned handle arm ends 46 are brought into contact with the innersides of guide bars 31, at an elevation below the pivotal axis providedby studs 39. Continued application of the upward force causes the doorto be moved into the open position indicated in Fig. 5 where a bottomslot edge portion 48, of a guide bar 31, is.` engaged by a pawl 49 whichis freely movable about a pivotal support 51 horizontally mounted on oneof the upper frame extensions 36; the pawl 49 being counter-weighted byan arm 52, having a lower end portion 53 projecting sidewardlytherefrom. By applying a force to the arm por- Y Q For this purpose, theguide bars 31, adjacent their lower ends, are formed with lugs 47 whichmitted to drop by its own weight into the closed position. Theinclination of the door seat 26 outwardly from the guide slots 35 in adownward direction results in a wedgingaction which automatically causesthe door to tightly engagethe seat; The pressure of the door against itsseat may be further increased by forcing the handle 42 downwardly,thereby moving the upper edges of the inturned.- handle arm ends 46 intoforcible engagement with theinner sides of guide bars. 31 andsimultaneously causing the eccentrics 45 -to be rotated on studs 39 ina' direction causing the distance between the guide bars and studs 39 tobe slightly decreased. As a result, the guide bars 31 are forced againstthe-front walls of grooves 35 and the'door 27 caused to forcibly engagethe seat packing 29;

The closure means 10 is further arranged to prevent escape ofhotffurnace gases and other products of combustion when the door 27 isopen. Accordingly, meansr are providedfor directing jets of air or othergaseous fluid at yhigh velocity into the frame passage 1 9 in thedirection/of the furnace wall opening 13. For this purpose, the outerdoor frame section 1S is formed with a fluid supply chamber 56 withinits'bottom'and side walls; the chamber 56- thus being of generallyU-shaped formation having a bottom inlet portion to which air or othergaseous liuid is admitted under pressure through a' supply pipe` 57, andhaving upright outlet portions 58; 58-in opposite sidewalls,y withintermediate portions 5959 interconnecting the bottom inlet portion withoutlet portions 58, 58 at oppositey sides. In the side walls 21, 21, aninterior liner means is provided in the form of p'erforated'at plateslwhich, in addition to providing the, innerV side wallsof'lluidsupplychambers 58, are formedwith aseries of-spacedholes 62 therein throughwhich uid is directed into the frame openingv 19 in a series ofconverging jets. Suitably, the liner plates 61 are secured tothe wallby`means of bolts63 as indicated. The plates llextend to the inner endof the frame, in alignment'with thesides of wall opening 13, and havetheir outer edges 64 rounded to prevent obstruction to tools insertedfor cleaning purposesinteriorly of chamber 14; Right angled recesses areformed in opposite sides of' eachplate,v as indicated, to facilitate thedrilling of holes 62 which are formed in parallel planes and directedto' a common line of intersection 65 located beyond the frame 18 andpreferably within the continuing length of furnace-wall opening 13.

The supply of gaseousdluid to` jet'holes 62 is under con'trolfof'a valve67-Y locatedina pipe line 68 whichincludes aV 'T-connection 69- withlpipe 57y through which uid is supplied to the interior'fluid chamber 56;An additional pipe line 71 leads from T 69 to the pressure responsivelatchl'which is secured by screws 72 to the upperframe extensions 36:

Th'e'fla'tch 37, as seen in Fig. l, comprises inner' and outercylindrical bellows y73 and 74circurnferentially spaced and secured atonefend to asupporting block 75 in which a passage 76 is formed forpressure fluid'ilow from pipe 7'1 to the annular' space separating thetwo bellows. The outer endofl the annular space is sealed by an annularplate 7S to'which is attached a circular end plate 79. A latch pin 81 isadjustably secured at one endv in' the'end plate 79 and extendsforwardly through the `supporting block 75' in which it is slidablyguided by an end portion S2 of rectangular cross section which, ashereinafter explained, is adapted to project into the planer path ofdoor opening movement which is indicated by thevertical line A, parallelto guide slots 35. Horvever, the meter endIk surface 83 of the latch pinslopes downwardly and outwardlyso as not to present an obstruction tothe door during closing movement. The bellows assemblyr is shielded by acylindrical housing 84 having attachedtheretol a stop. bar` 85forpreventing exces'sivc:expansionimovernent 'of-the bellows.l A minimumvlimitLof-. expansion :movement is nevertheless essential Yinl order towithdraw the outer end 82 of the latch pin from its normal positionacross plane A where it pre'- vents full opening movement of door 27.

ln the normal course of operation, when it is desired to open the door27, with chamber 14 under superatmospheric pressure, the supply ofgaseous fluid is rst made available in frame chamber 56 for establishingthe uid jet action through ports 62 before door'27 is moved to uncoverthe opening 19.l However, if the operator had failed to open the fluidsupply valve 67, the door could be moved a short distance` in theopening direction when furthery opening movement would be prevented bythe latch pin S1. In this position, the door would be slightly spacedfrom its seat and thus permit hoty gases to be discharged beyond theedges of the door and provide a corona of flame which would serve as awarning signal to open the fluid supply valve 67. Then, with the gaseousfluid supplied at normal pressure to ports 62, and simultaneously to thesafety latch 37, the normal jet action is established and the latch pin81 Withdrawn so as to permit the door to be opened to fully expose theopening 19 and permit lancing operation to be performed with safety.

In order to provide for a situation in whichthe opera? tor had failed tofirst open the valve 67, the valve handle 87 may be formed with anopposite arm portion 89 to which may be secured a stop plate 91 adaptedto engage an upper portion of door 27, as indicated in Fig. 3, andthereby prevent door opening movement until the valve handle is turnedthrough 90 degrees in a clockwise directionto the open position, inwhich position the stop plate 91 is moved out of the path of doormovement. Furthermore, when the valve handle 87 is in the open position,with door 27 open, the valve handle is prevented by the door from beingreturned to its closed position, at right angles to pipe 68. Thestop'plate 91 may beadjustably positioned on the handle extension 89suitably by providing slotted-openings 92 through which holding bolts93extend. As will be understood, the valve` 67 maybe anrangediso as tocause the handle S7 to move inl avertical plane either parallel to theguide slots 35 or in` angular relation thereto, depending for example onthe specific piping and valve arrangement.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes We haveillustrated and described herein the best form ofk the invention nowknown to us, those skilled in the art will understand that changes maybe made in the form ofthe apparatus disclosed without departing from thespirit of the invention covered by our claims, andthat certain featuresof the invention may sometimes'be used' to advantage without acorresponding use of other features.

What is claimed is:

l. Closure means for achamber wall opening comp-rising interrelatedmembers one of which'is formed asa frame providing a passagetherethrough for registry with saidopening, another ofsaidmembersconstituting a door for said passage at the outer end of saidframe, means including a guidev bar on one of said Amembers forrestricting total opening and closing movement of said doorsubstantially to a single upright plane, said other member beinglfonnedwith a guide slot inwhich saidguideibar is slidably received throughoutits path of travel therein, saidl guide barin the' closed position'ofsaid door' being arranged to releasably engage only that side of sa'idslot which isnearer said-outer endvof said frame, the'outer end ofsaidframebeingformed' witha'door seat inclined' with respect to thelengthiofsaid passage, said guide slot being formed with substantiallyparallelsides arranged in diverging relation to saidseat inthe direction ofclosing. t movement of said-door, and means for releasing-said 2,'Closure' means asdefined in claim l and further4 including dooroperating means pivotally supportedon" said door and movable intoengagement with said guide bar for increasing the pressure of said dooragainst said seat upon movement of said door into the closed position.

3. Closure means for a chamber Wall opening comprising a frame providinga passage therethrough for registry with said opening, a door for saidpassage at the outer end of said frame, said frame providing a seat forsaid door inclined to the length of said passage, means including aguide bar movable with said door and slidable in a groove in said framefor restricting opening and closing `movement of said door substantiallyto a single plane disposed in angular relation to said seat, said guidebar in the closed position of said door being arranged to forciblyengage a side of said groove and only that side which is nearer saidouter end of said frame, and means pivotally supported on said frame`for maintaining said door in an open position, said pivotally supportedmeans being formed as a pawl normally lengaging a side of said guide barand having an upwardly facing surface portion arranged to automaticallyengage an under surface portion of said guide bar upon movement of saiddoor into said open position.

4. Closure means for a chamber wall opening comprising a frame providinga passage therethrough for registry with said opening, a door for saidpassage at the outer end of said frame, said frame providing a seat forsaid door inclined to the length of said passage, means including aguide bar movable with said door and slidable in a parallel-sided groovein said frame for rest-rieting total opening and closing movement ofsaid door substantially to a single upright plane extending transverselyof said passage, liner means associated with walls of said passage andhaving openings extending therethrough for directing gaseous iiuid intosaid passage when said door is in an open position, said liner meansopenings communicating at their outer ends with a gaseous iluid supplychamber formed exteriorly of said passage, and valve means forcontrolling the supply of gaseous uid to said chamber, said valve meanshaving a valve operating element which in its closed position isdisposed in the path of door ymovement to prevent opening movement ofsaid door.

5. Closure means as detned in claim 4 wherein said liner means openingsare arranged in groups at opposite sides of said passage and directed inplanes converging toward the inner end of said passage.

6. Closure means for achamber wall opening comprising a frame providinga passage therethrough for registry with said opening, a door for saidpassage at the outer end of said frame, said frame providing a seat forsaid door formed in a plane inclined to the length of said assage, meansincluding a guide bar movable with said door and slidable in a groove insaid frame `for restricting total opening and closing movement of saiddoor substantially to a single plane extending transversely of saidpassage, said groove at the side toward said seat having its walldivergent with respect to said seat in the direction of closing movementof said door, means for admitting gaseous fluid under pressure into saidpassage toward the inner end of said passage, and latch means normallybiased into the path of opening movement of said door and responsive tothe pressure of said fluid tfor movement out of said path upon releaseof said fluid for admission to said passage.

7. Closure means for a chamber wall opening comprising a frame providinga passage therethrough for registry with said opening, a door for saidpassage at the outer end of said frame, said frame providing a seat forsaid door formed in a plane inclined to the length of said passage,means including a guide bar movable with said door and slidable in agroove in said frame for restricting total opening and closing movementof said door substantially to a single plane transversely of saidpassage, said groove at the side toward said seat having its Wall planarand divergent with respect to said seat in the direction of closingmovement of said door, means for admitting gaseous fluid under pressureinto said passage toward the inner end of said passage, valve meansoperable to release said fluid for admission to said passage, and meansassociated with said valve means and movable into the path of doormovement to provide an obstruction preventing opening movement of saiddoor until said valve` means is operated to release said fluid.

8. Closure means for a chamber Wall opening comprising a frame providinga passage therethrough for registry with said opening, a door for saidpassage at the outer end of said frame, said frame providing a seat forsaid door inclined to the length of said passage, means including aguide bar movable with said door and slidable in a groove in said framefor restricting opening and closing movement of said door substantiallyto a single plane disposed in angular relation to said seat, a handlepivotally supported on said door for effecting opening movement thereof,and means including said handle for increasing the pressure of said dooragainst said seat in the closed position, said last named meansincluding a stud projecting sidewardly from said door and providing theaxis about which said handle is pivotally movable7 and eccentricrotatably supported on said stud and secured to said handle, and a lugsecured to said guide bar and formed with a circular opening in whichsaid eccentric is received `for limited angular movement therein aboutsaid axis,

said handle having an inturned end portion arranged to engage the innerside of said guide bar when said handle is moved in the direction ofclosing movement of said door.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS241,433 Simmons May 10, 1881 843,742 Fox Feb. 12, 1907 922,234 AndersonMay 18, 1909 1,278,293 Bazzill 1 Sept. 10,' 1918 1,631,840 Tewksburylune 7, 1927 2,132,507 Baker Oct. 11, 1938 2,180,797 Cockerham NOV. 21,1939 2,528,671 Selnik Nov. 7, 1950 2,532,841 Hauff -s Dec. 5, 19502,545,886 Kooistra Mar. 20, 1951 2,622,549 Fletcher -i Dec. 23, 1952FOREIGN PATENTS 5,769 Great Britain of 1913

